Jian Long
by Shattered Katana
Summary: Jian deals with Mousse, Shampoo, and Kuno. Please review
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2 or anything I took from other animes, mostly Rurouni Kenshin attacks and possible mentions of situations from others.  
  
- Chinese  
''- Thoughts, language doesn't matter  
  
Jian Long  
  
A young black-haired man stands off to the side of the training fields of the Amazon warriors.  
  
'Heh, I remember when I use to wish I could train with 'em. Ku Lon Shifu* shouldn't have made that joking promise to me though, 'cause now they got a male in the village that can do the female martial arts,' the man, Jian Long, thought.  
  
-Flashback-  
  
A younger Jian stands in the same place he is standing now. He looks on with a wishful look in his eyes. He's studied the techniques being performed by the warriors, but couldn't risk attempting them without an elder.  
  
Ku Lon hops her way overe to where Jian is watching.   
  
Jian nods.   
  
Ku Lon gives Jian a grin. The elder hops away on her staff, laughing.  
  
Jian left the training fields, feeling even more depressed about his situation. 'How can I change into a girl dammit!? I guess all that she just said to me was a load of bull and she doesn't expect me to actually change into a female. 'sides, I doubt I'd want to find myself as a permanent female.' Jian sighed.  
  
he called out as he entered his house. He received no reply to his call. His mother died when he was younger. His father was considered a rather weak man in the village and was usually not at home. He had a library which Jian spent much of his time at though.  
  
He went immeditely to the books. He was taught well enough that he could read, write, and speak Chinese and Japanese fluently. All the books in the library were in one of those two languages after all. Today a particular book caught his eyes. he read aloud. He opened the book and found the solution to his problems on the first page. Jian read on and found that they did have a spring of drowned girl, nyannichuan. He continued to read about the nyannichuan and quickly found a map to Jusenkyo.  
  
-End Flashback-  
  
Jian's thoughts were broken as rain started pouring.  
  
the boy said. He shrank and his chest expanded. His pitch black hair took on a tint of red. The only thing that remained the same was her eyes. They had the same gray coloration that she had as a male.  
  
'Shifu went to Japan in search of that husband of Xian Pu's. You'd figure they'd be back after a few months, even if they did open a restaurant there. Maybe it's time to follow them and Mu Tsu to Japan. After all, anybody good enough to beat Xian Pu must be a terrific martial artist... and now trained by Ku Lon Shifu.'  
  
Jian grinned, having found a good reason to leave the village. She quickly ran home and packed some things she would need. Her father died after she completed her training with Ku Lon. She wouldn't worry anyone with her disappearance, and it wouldn't matter if the elders got word of where she was. 'I shoulda just left before. Not like it would've mattered. Why'd I wait 'til I had a reason? Oh well.'  
  
Jian ran out of the house and left the village for Japan.  
  
***  
  
Jian had traveled around Japan for many months now, training and learning new techniques. He finally reached Nerima.  
  
'I know the name of the restaurant that Ku Lon owns, but that's all. I hope that will get me directions to it.' He walked around for a while, then tapped a young man on the shoulder.  
  
The man turned around and Jian saw the noticeable feature of fangs on the boy. "Can you tell me how to get to the Nekohanten?" he asked the bandanna wearing boy.  
  
"Sure I know the way there, I've been there enough times. It's on route to the Tendo Dojo, where I'm heading anyway," Ryoga replied, though the Nekohaten also happened to be in the opposite direction of the dojo. At that point rain started to fall and Ryoga shrunk.  
  
Jian blinked. "A Jusenkyo victim I see," the now female Jian said. "Damn luck, I find a person who can get me to the Nekohanten and rain starts pouring, changing the guide into a pig." Jian shouldered Ryoga's things and grabbed him. Ryoga struggled in Jian's grip, then relaxed. The girl then asked another person for directions.  
  
After an hour or so of searching, she found the restaurant, the soaked and female Jian walked in.  
  
She was greeted by the purple-haired Amazon who was the reason for the trip to Japan. "Hello," she cutely said and went to take the order of a group of people who were calling her over. She ignored the stares of people at the struggling pig in her hands.  
  
'Heh, xian Pu is still as cute as ever. Still, I ain't interested in her. And I'd have to go through Mu Tsu many times if I even thought of wanting her. Ah, speak of the devil,' Jian thought and went over to the long haired Amazon male who was serving some ramen to a young couple.  
  
"Ni hao Mu Tsu," she said to Mousse. "Can you tell me where to find Ku Lon Shifu?"  
  
Mousse looked up. "Hmm?" He squinted through his glasses. "Jian? You came to Japan after us?"  
  
Jian grinned. "Yep, it's me. How've ya been?" She still had Ryoga and his things with him.  
  
"Wait, why'd you come to Japan?" Mousse asked. He then grabbed Jian by the front of her black Chinese shirt. "You didn't come to court with Shampoo did you?"  
  
"Er... no, you no I have no interest in Xian Pu, she's family. And please let go of me, you're scaring people," Jian said nervously at the blades that were only slightly concealed in the Hidden Weapons Master's sleeve. "Where's Ku Lon now?"  
  
Mousse relaxed and let Jian go. He then grinned. "She's back in the kitchen, It's almost closing anyway, so I suppose you can just wait at a seat, I just hope you didn't come to Japan to chase after her. I'll get you some hot water."  
  
"Don't bother getting any for me, just take this guy into a bathroom or something, here're his clothes." Jian handed Ryoga and his clothing to Mousse.  
  
"Ryoga? How'd you meet him?"  
  
"Oh, well I asked him for directions. He was about to take me here too."  
  
"You're lucky the rain struck then. You'd be in America or something... without crossing any water too. His sense of direction is as bad as... well, as bad as my eyesight. You would have ended up here in maybe a week."  
  
Jian winced at the analogy, realising her luck was indeed good. She sat down at a table near the counter and put Ryoga's backpack and umbrella down. She then took off her own bag and leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes. A few minutes later, Ryoga walked out of bathroom with Mousse. The fanged boy looked around and saw Jian. Ryoga walked over and glared at her.  
  
The girl being glared at opened one eye and threw Ryoga his things. "You can sit down if you want. I doubt you want to wander around the world as a pig, so you might as well stay here a while."  
  
"Well, I do have my umbrella."  
  
Jian chuckled. "Just stay a while though, I can use some company. 'Sides, knowing the curse, you'd probably get splashed after a while."  
  
"I suppose I should thank you for bringing me here as well. Most people don't bother bringing me and my stuff anywhere. They may take me and leave my things behind."  
  
"Yes, well most people can't lift your things, especially that umbrella."  
  
Shampoo walked over to Ryoga and Jian. "What lost boy doing here?" she asked. "And who with you?"  
  
Jian smiled and stood up. "Hello Xian Pu. Long time cousin."  
  
Shampoo looked at the Chinese girl that stood up. "Jian? How you been?" She hugged her cousin.  
  
As Mousse saw this and yelled, "Jian! I thought you said you had no interest in your family!!!" Mousse charged towards Jian, who countered with a quick axe kick to the top of the master of hidden weapon's head. She then did an amaguriken to his stomach.  
  
"I'm fine Xian Pu." Jian said then hugged Shampoo back. She ignored the now unconscious boy at her feet. "I'm just waiting to talk to great aunt Ku Lon. I'd feel awkward staying here without ordering anything. Get me two ramens willya?"  
  
"Wait, I dont need..." Ryoga interupted.  
  
"It's my treat, and if you won't eat it I'll take it," Jian said as Shampoo walked off to deliver the order.  
  
"Fine," Ryoga said. "You're an Amazon right, and cursed too? And how come you're dried off already?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm an Amazon. I took this curse on to earn the female status that let me learn from Ku Lon. I've dried off by channeling my chi into doing so."  
  
"You learned martial arts from Cologne? She taught me one technique. The Bakusai Tenketsu." Ryoga snarled. "I tried using it on that Saotome. Cologne failed to warn me beforehand that it didn't work on humans."  
  
Jian sweatdroped. "Like you said, the technique itself is pretty useless. I also happened to have learned that technique a bit faster than I was suppose to learn it. It should take it a person from a week to a month, but I knew how to focus too well, I learned it in a few days. I don't have as much endurance from the rocks pounding me as I would like. Not telling you about something like that sounds like something that Ku Lon would do though."  
  
Shampoo walked over to the table with Jian's orders. "Store closing now," she told the other customers and handed the two their orders.  
  
"Why can that couple stay?" a customer asked.  
  
Ryoga blushed and started sputtering protests about being on a date with another guy. Jian sweatdropped and shoved some noodles into Ryoga's mouth. "Shut up before you make yourself look like even more of an idiot," she muttered to him.  
  
"Girl is guest in restaurant. Stupid Lost Boy leave after finish meal, probably get lost on way out. You please finish meal and leave too, no get lost though," Shampoo said.  
  
Jian rubbed her temples and made a mental note to help her cousin with her Japanese a little. She started eating her Ramen. "So Ryoga, who is this Saotome fellow you spoke of before? Is he then one that is to be Xian Pu's groom?"  
  
Ryoga snorted then finished off his Ramen. "That among other things. You'll hear about this from Cologne however. Well, I'll be leaving now, we'll probably meet again sometime later, I hope to have my revenge on Saotome by that time." Ryoga picked up his backpack and walked away from the table, opening his umbrella before walking into the woman's bathroom.  
  
Jian sweatdropped as Ryoga dashed away when he realised that it wasn't the exit. Her attention turned as she heard a staff tap across the floor and a chuckle.  
  
"It's a good thing for him that we closed and no women were left here in the bathroom. How have you been Jian?"  
  
"I've been fine Elder Ku Lon." Jian said and stood up to bow respectfully. "I came to Japan to train and challenge that groom of Xian Pu's. I have completed my first goal." Shampoo was cleaning up a nearby table, with the revived Mousse tagging along, proclaiming his love.  
  
"Yes, well Jian. Do not tell Shampoo this," the elder dropped her voice a bit, "but I have long since given up on Ranma Saotome. He has been out of my grasp ever since the incident with Saffron, the pheonix king."  
  
"I seem to remember what our village saw taking place in Jusenkyo. There were so many explosions and all that fire," Jian noted. "Of course, I was sent to investigate Jusenkyo after that, I found the place flooded."  
  
Cologne nodded sadly and sighed. "At this point, I would gladly content myself with him pledging himself to be a member of our clan, without a marriage. I will not tell Shampoo or him however. At least not until he makes up his mind about his feelings though."  
  
Jian nodded. "So, tell me about this Ranma Saotome. He seems rather interesting." The elder smiled and told the newest aquatransexual about one of the strongest martial artists in the area of Nerima.  
  
  
*Shifu means master 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2 or anything I took from other animes, mostly Rurouni Kenshin attacks and possible mentions of situations from others.  
  
Chapter 1  
The Challenge  
  
It was once again raining in Nerima. Why it was raining would probably be due to the number of Jusenkyo cursed martial artists in the area. Dark had fallen already and the residents of the Tendo Dojo were about to eat. A knock on the door interrupted the dinner though.  
  
"Get the door boy," Genma said roughly to his son.  
  
"Wha? Why me Oyaji?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Because it is your duty as a man!" Genma said galantly as the others at the table facefaulted.  
  
"Ara, usually I get the door though," Kasumi said.  
  
"Er..." Genma sputtered.  
  
"Ah, whatever Oyaji. Just don't steal my food," Ranma said and got up, as soon as he walked out of sight the panda did just the opposite of what Ranma asked of him. Nodoka wasn't around to stop him tonight.  
  
"Yeah, who is it?" Ranma asked as he opened the door, revealing a rather attractive female with red tinted black hair.  
  
"Ano... are you Ranma Saotome?" the girl timidly asked.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Ooh! Ranma-sama!" The girl cried out and glomped onto Ranma. If Ranma wasn't so panicked, he would have noticed it was a similar glomp to the one Shampoo uses.  
  
'Oh Kami-sama! Please let her release me before Akane sees me,' the panicked martial artist thought.  
  
The cruel fate that is Ranma's life wouldn't allow it as an aura sprang to life. "Ranma... NO BAKA!!!" Akane screamed and charged the two with her mallet.  
  
Jian decided to take action immediately released Ranma and stuck her foot up to block the overhead strike aimed towards Ranma. Akane looked in surprised at the girl.  
  
"Next time, don't attack Ranma and attack the person that actually did the deed," Jian said. he saw Genma inside stealing some food from Ranma's plate and quickly threw a knife, catching Genma's sleeve.  
  
"But Ranma's a pervert and he was the one who does it all!" Akane screamed and brought the mallet up for another swing.  
  
Jian saw Ranma wince at the pervert comment and prepare himself to be sent through the wall. She had different ideas though and brought her foot down into a light side kick into her stomach and came up with a jump round kick that took off the head of the mallet, smashing it into the wall. Akane stared in shock at what had just happened. Ranma sighed in relief.  
  
"Oh, and Ranma-sama," Jian cutely said. Ranma tensed up again. "A man outside told me to give this to you." A letter was thrown towards Ranma, who caught it. "Oh, and sorry about the wall." A few bills were left in Akane's still open mouth. "Ja Ranma-sama!" Jian said and walked out the front door.  
  
"What happened here?" Nabiki asked and took the bill out of Akane's mouth.  
  
"Ranma was a pervert again!" Akane yelled and stormed off.  
  
Ranma was in shock from the events, a girl glomping onto him, pinning his father's sleeve to the table, then destroying Akane's mallet, giving him a letter, then actually paying for the destruction she caused? He could only come up with one reason this was happening.  
  
"OYAJI!!!" Ranma stormed into the Dining area and started beating the panicked Genma. "WHAT DID YOU DO THIS TIME!? DO I GOT ANOTHER FIANCEE!?"  
  
"B-b-believe me this time Ranma! I had nothing to do with this!" Genma stuttered and tried to get his sleeve free so he could run.  
  
"Why should I believe you Oyaji!? Almost every problem could somehow be linked to you!" Ranma was shaking Genma at this point.  
  
"W-W-Well, er... because I haven't turned into a panda yet?" Genma tried.  
  
Ranma abruptely stopped. "You know, that does make sense. I mean, almost every other time it could be traced back to him, he quickly turns into a panda.  
  
"WHY DIDN'T YOU PROTECT YOUR FIANCEE, RANMA!?" Soun's demon head struck as Ranma cringed in fear.  
  
"Well, that nice girl didn't really hurt Akane after all Father," Kasumi said.  
  
"Y-y-yeah! A-An' that crazy girl was trying to send me flying again!!!" Ranma yelped.  
  
"ThAT CRAZY GIRL IS YOUR FIANCEE!"  
  
"Only because you and Oyaji made that contract!" Ranma retorted angrily.  
  
"Will someone explain to me what happened here?" Nabiki asked.  
  
"Well, first I answered the door, an' that girl glomped me. Then Akane tries to mallet me an'"  
  
"Not that part, I mean why has one of Ranma's suitors actually pay for the damages? Even Kodachi hasn't payed for any of them yet, and she's loaded!" Nabiki said.  
  
"Hey! That chick wasn't my suitor!"  
  
"Yet."  
  
"Er... well. I wonder what that letter was?" Ranma opened the letter up and quickly read through it. "Oh great, another challenge letter." Ranma quickly read off the place and time of the challenge. For the name was the Japanese character for sword. 'Oh, good it takes place tomorrow. I can get this over quickly then'  
  
Ranma finished his dinner quickly and went to his room. He ignored Soun, who was crying about disobedient son-in-laws and lay down on his futon. 'Who was that girl? She's got to be a martial artist from the way she handled Akane. But it couldn't have been her who gave me the challenge, she said it was a man who gave it to her to give to me. It couldn't have been Ryoga who challenged me could it? Na, he doesnt sign his letters as Ken. Ah well, whatever. It should be an easy win tomorrow. I did kill a demi-god.' The last thought came with sadness at the thought of having killed something, even if he was reborn.  
  
***  
  
Ranma reached the place of challenge the next day at noon. He quickly surveyed the land and saw that the area was mostly rocky terrain and off in the distance a bit there was a field of grass.  
  
"Hey! You made it!" a girl's voice said from above Ranma. He looked up and saw the girl from yesterday drop down to the ground with a water bottle in her hands.  
  
"Hey. Didn't you say a man gave you that letter?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Oh yeah! That's right I did, didn't I?" the girl asked. She opened the water bottle and poured the hot water on her head. She immediately changed into a he.  
  
Ranma looked on with an eyebrow raised. "Jusenkyo?" At the man's nod, he noted something else. "Wait! Are you gay or something!? I mean glomping onto me an' stuff!"  
  
Jian looked amused. "Na, I'm not gay. It's just fun and games to me doing stuff like that. And being a girl is just a bonus so you don't look like you're gay. However, this meeting isn't to discuss me sexual preferences. It's a duel."  
  
Jian relaxed his stance into an open handed fighting stance. Ranma entered his normal loose stance. 


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2 or anything I took from other animes, mostly Rurouni Kenshin attacks and possible mentions of situations from others.  
  
Author's Notes: Heh, first set of author's notes for this fic. Thank you for the reviews from the people who made them for chapter 2. The nameless one sorta gave me things to think about that I don't consider. I'll fit them in later on in the fic. I will also put in the other situations he/she mentioned, like the guilt towards Saffron. And as for Toran. If you'd like to believe this is a self-insertion do so. I honestly don't know whether this is should be considered a self-insertion or not. I changed too much about Jian like attitude and his strength level to know whether I should consider him based off of me. Frankly, he's more like a role play character I'd use. Oh, and apologies made for grammar (I'm horrible with grammar) and any changes in anyone's attitudes.  
  
Chapter 2  
Ranma vs. Jian  
  
Ranma smirked at Jian. The smirk that annoyed so many others didn't seem to affect the young man in front of him. "C'mon you gay pervert, why dontcha just give up? I killed a demi-god didn't I? I doubt you'd be able to beat me." Once again, Jian was unphased.  
  
"You sure about that last part?" Jian returned the same smirk. "Hide behind a past victory to avoid a present one makes you a coward, does it not?"  
  
Ranma's eyes flashed with anger at the last statement and attacked. He, unlike Akane, made sure to keep his control in his movement despite his anger. A quick jab was made to test out his opponents defenses.  
  
Jian responded by dodging to the side, and countered with a low uppercut to the kidneys, which Ranma dodged in kind. They kept up the attacks in kicking and punching before Ranma lept into the air and came down with a strong side kick. Jian responded by throwing his arms up and catching most of the blow with them, throwing him back. The boy quickly continued the momentum and rolled back onto his feet.  
  
'Damn, he's pretty fast, not faster than me but definitely stronger, though not to Ryoga's level either,' Ranma thought. He smirked. "Had enough? That last kick got ya pretty well didn't it?"  
  
Jian smirked back. "It didn't hurt nearly as much as you think, and I'll show you why." He charged at Ranma and quickly stuck one finger out. "Bakusai Tenketsu!" He throw his finger down at an angle aimed towards the ground in front of Ranma.  
  
Ranma avoided most of the debris and watched the smoke clear, revealing Jian standing lightly in his stance a few meters away. "What the hell? You know the Bakusai Tenketsu? The old ghoul has been teaching you to beat me too, hasn't she?"  
  
"Don't worry about Ku Lon right now." He tightened his stance more into more of a boxing type stance. Ranma quickly charged towards Jian. As he got nearer, the ground exploded under him, sending him flying back.  
  
"What the hell!!?" Ranma got up and watched Jian smirk. 'What was that?' Ranma quickly eyed the area around his opponent. he noticed slight indentations in the ground. The pigtailed martial artist picked up a piece of rock and threw it at the indentations, causing the explosion to occur again. "A delayed Bakusai Tenketsu?"  
  
Jian's smirk grew. "You figured it out. Now let's see if you can counter it."  
  
"Not a problem," Ranma charged again, this time he jumped over the indentations. Jian quickly slammed his foot into the ground, setting off all the delayed Bakusai Tenketsu points he made. The blast didn't affect Ranma as much, but as the smoke cleared, Jian was revealed further away, with more marks around him.  
  
'Damn, no matter how many times I go at him, he'll use the Bakusai Tenketsu to hide and then make more of them.' "Stop hiding behind the Bakusai Tenketsu you coward!"  
  
"Heh, coward? A technique is a technique, no matter how cheap it is. I spent my time and energy learning it, so you gotta learn how to counter it. So c'mon."  
  
Ranma stayed in his stance and pondered the situation. 'I can't get anywhere near him. the technique is a rather interesting one, I never coulda thought that the Bakusai Tenketsu could be used similar to a land mine. Wait, it is in the earth, so what would happen if I took out those areas without him making the blast go off?' "Heh, I got it ya gay pervert." He cupped his hands downward and yelled, "Moko Takabisha!" He launched a ki blast at Jian, who jumped back to avoid the it. The ground was hit and the delayed Bakusai Tenketsu indents were destroyed. Ranma quickly charged through the blast and let out a volley of Amaguriken speed punches. Jian was caught off guard and knocked back a bit. "Let's see ya top that ya jerk!" Ranma smirked confidently.  
  
The Chinese boy coughed and grinned. "Very good. Now I can use more special attacks." He entered a different stance. This one had his hands similar to the position of the crane stance, except they were loose. "Here I come." Jian quickly charged, and struck out in a spear hand movement towards Ranma's face. Ranma moved his head slightly to the side and avoided it and was shocked when he felt a cut form on his cheek.  
  
"What the hell!?"  
  
The Chinese boy pressed his attack on and kept swiping at him. Ranma learned after the first time and shifted completely out of the way of each of the attacks. He then returned with a second volley of Amaguriken punches. To his shock, his opponent returned each punch with one of his own, deflecting his own or meeting them dead on.  
  
'Damn he's good.'  
  
"Not bad Saotome. Not too many people can avoid Karyu that many times. Let's see you avoid it with the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken now." Ranma was put on the defensive as several lightning fast strikes slashed all around him.  
  
'These cuts aren't as deep as the first one, he can't use the move as well that quickly, but the number of cuts are still effective.' Ranma quickly started striking out with his own hand speed and started blocking them all dead on with his arms. He then growled and jumped back again. "I know you still can't win! And you know it too! Moko Takabisha!" The pigtailed teen launched his ki blast.  
  
"Hei Huo Shin!" Jian responded in kind and unleashed a black ki fireball from his hands. The black fireball overtook Ranma's blue blast and continued towards Ranma, who dived out of the way.  
  
'Damn! His ki blasts seem to be more powerful than mine,' Ranma thought. 'Maybe if I can get him to use enough of them I can use the Hiryu Shoten Ha.' "C'mon! Ya know ya can't hit me with those blasts o' yours!" He quickly unleashed another blast which was countered by Jian's Hei Huo Shin. He was running around in circles around his braided opponent when Jian charged in for another volley of attacks. 'Can't dodge 'em! They'd just cut me!' Ranma started meeting each punch with a block and after a while, Jian got a palm strike through Ranma's defenses, striking him in the chest.  
  
The pigtailed boy was knocked back a bit and suddenly felt sharp pains all over his body. 'Those points he hit on my arms and body, they were pressure points.' Ranma, being unable to use his arms, slammed a kick into the Amazon male, who was thrown back a few meters with a hard grunt. 'Wait, he felt that hit, despite his Bakusai Tenketsu training.' Ranma stayed standing there for a few seconds to recover from the pressure point attack.  
  
"Didn't like those pressure points much didja?" Jian asked.  
  
Ranma snarled. "Moko Takabisha!" Ranma didn't seem to notice that his confidence fueled ki blast was getting smaller.  
  
"Hei Huo Shin!" The black fireball overtook Ranma's again and Ranma started spiraling around Jian.  
  
After a few more ki blasts, Ranma yelled out, "Hiryu Shoten Ha!" and struck his fist out into the air.  
  
Jian's eyes opened wide in shock. 'Ku Lon taught him that!? Damn, I'm such an idiot, I shoulda noticed the spiral!' Jian was swept up into the air, and started to heat up the air around him with his ki. "Hiryu Shoten Ha counter! Sakasama Hiryu Shoten Ha!" Jian jutted his fist out and increased the speeds of Ranma's tornado.  
  
'He used the spinning in the tornado to make his own and make mine faster too!'  
  
Ranma started to lift off the ground and fly towards Jian, who had already started to drop.  
  
"FUTAE NO KIWAMI!" Jian reared his fist for a foreknuckle punch and slammed it forward at Ranma's chest. After it made contact he shifted it so his knuckles slammed into Ranma, throwing him back down. Oddly enough, Ranma seemed to feel another contact that caused darkness. Ranma slammed into the ground, unconscious. Jian landed a few feet away and stumbled a few times before sitting down. "He's better than I thought he'd be," he said while breathing a bit hard. He got up and walked over to Ranma and checked his injuries before lifting him up and carrying him back to Nerima.  
  
***  
  
Ranma woke up a few hours later, staring up at the ceiling of a room. He had a few bandages on him and couldn't move as freely.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
The voice started Ranma and he turned his head towards the source. He saw the man that he had fought a while ago.  
  
"Gonna gloat now or somethin'? I'll beat you next time, I swear it," Ranma stated.  
  
"Na, I'm here to patch you up now, it was a good fight you gave me." A hard pounding on the door shocked Ranma suddenly.  
  
"Shampoo want go in and visit Airen!" Shampoo yelled through the door.  
  
"You are not to come in Xian Pu!" Jian yelled back. "You are not dragging Saotome back to China!"  
  
"Come Shampoo, leave them to talk," Cologne said and led Shampoo away from the door.  
  
"Geez, you figure I shouldn't of brought you back to the Nekohaten."  
  
"I'm in the Nekohaten?" Ranma inquired.  
  
"Yeah, in my room." Jian sighed. "It was a real pain when I first brought you in." He quickly dumped a glass of water over his head and imitated his cousin's voice. "Oh, is that a present for Shampoo? Shampoo like so much!" he dumped a glass of warm water over his head to change back. "And Mousse was also a pain with his attempt on your life. He's still recovering in his room right now."  
  
"So, Ken right?"  
  
"Actually, it's Jian. Jian Long. It means the same thing as Ken, so I used that for my challenge letter."  
  
"OK, Jian then. Why are you treating my injuries? Most people would probably have left me unconscious with my injuries."  
  
Jian grinned and waved a finger back and forth. "I ain't most people. 'Sides I don't want any untreated injuries to hinder you for our next match after all. Anyway, you're in need of a friend. From all that I've heard from Ku Lon, you don't have many."  
  
"Feh, I don't need no friends."  
  
"Everybody needs friends, they can be people to back you up if you're losing a fight."  
  
"Ha! Me lose a fight? No way," Ranma proudly stated.  
  
"Wow, you must have a horrible memory, or maybe my Futae no Kiwami hit you a bit too hard and knocked the knowledge of your loss outta you." Jian smirked at the pigtailed boy, who growled back.  
  
"Whatever, I still don't need no friends."  
  
"Fine, even if you don't lose, friends are people who you can talk to, or at least they keep you company. And even if you don't lose anymore fights, I doubt you get out of all of them unscathed. You may still need to go to the hospital. Or at least, I can probably solve the problems you have in Nerima, seriously, you'll need the time to train and I need some entertainment, so list some of your problems and I'll solve them."  
  
"Eh, how 'bout my multiple fiancees?"  
  
"I can probably take care of that, you'd have to get involved in some of them too though. If you want to get rid of my cousin, there is a ritual that will adopt you as an Amazon. That would cancel out the kisses and you don't have to go to China or anything as long as there's an elder from the Coucil here. Meaning you're set with Ku Lon."  
  
"Eh, how would ya get the old ghoul to perform it?"  
  
"She's already ready to perform it, except you gotta make your choice before she's willing to. So who d'ya want? That Tendo girl? Or the Okinomiyaki chef? Answer honestly, I can tell if people are lying."  
  
Ranma sighed. "Fine, I'll answer truthfully. I don't want no one. Got it? I may have liked Akane once, maybe even loved her, but she's bein' a bitch now. Ukyou I ain't interested in more than a friend. Shampoo is too damn persistent."  
  
"Well, Amazon customs aren't exactly the same as yours. Notice the similarities between Mousse and Shampoo in those aspects. I probably understand your dating customs better than they do actually. Better than Ku Lon too. I'll have a talk with Shampoo about this stuff."  
  
"Oh, well thanks I guess."  
  
"More problems?"  
  
"Well, there's all the people after me too. Ryouga, Kuno, Mousse..."  
  
The two talked about Ranma's problems for a few more hours before they got some Ramen to eat. 


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma 1/2 or anything I took from other animes, mostly Rurouni Kenshin attacks and possible mentions of situations from others.  
  
Chapter 3  
Resolving Problems with the Amazons and Kuno  
  
"Ya know, I just realised that the Tendos will be worried 'bout me after I was gone all night," Ranma said to Jian, who was lying on the floor of his room.  
  
"Ah, don't worry about it. I told Ku Lon to visit the Tendos and tell them about what happened. I didn't trust Xian Pu with something like that and Mu Tsu is well... Mu Tsu," Jian said while rubbing a few bruises on his head.  
  
Ranma smirked at that action. "Serves ya right for offering to turn into a girl and sleep in the bed with me." Jian just looked innocent at that.  
  
"Eh, I had to lock all the ways in because of Xian Pu also."  
  
"I got a question though. You have the Bakusai Tenketsu training, but you felt my kick during our duel."  
  
"That would be a result of a few years before that of training to be a scholar. You learn to focus well with that. It only took me less than a day to learn the Breaking Point. I didn't build up enough endurance. That's the reason I developed my delayed Bakusai Tenketsu. I suppose you wondered how it was developed." Ranma nodded. "I went through pressure point training remember? The precise pressure at points gave me the edge to hit the spot in with proper power not to set it off. The Amaguriken let me put numerous ones in."  
  
"And that ki attack? How'd it overtake mine?"  
  
Jian grinned. "I'll teach you once you beat me. How 'bout we go using the Amazon grandmaster challenge rules?"  
  
"Shouldn't you be a Amazon Wushu grandmaster then?"  
  
Jian's grin widened. "I am one."  
  
Ranma's eyes widened. "Which Amazon did you beat to get the title?"  
  
"Ku Lon," the Amazon said nonchallantly. Ranma fell off the bed.  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Oh don't get me wrong. You can probably beat Ku Lon now. That's the only reason you can go through the Amazon adoption ritual. You have to beat an Elder of the Council first."  
  
"Oh, well, okay. What're these grandmaster rules then?"  
  
"Three challenges from the student. After that the Master will watch the student and challenge him or her when he deems the student ready. I beat Ku Lon on my third attempt, had to work for it too."  
  
"So, you'll teach me once I beat you right? What're we waiting for then!? I'll beat you right now!"  
  
Jian frowned a bit. "I suggest you train a bit first. Maybe go after Happousai for his title. I have a few orders from the Council involving some of the people in Nerima. And don't waste your three challenges. I have an added incentive for you to beat me in those three times." Jian stood up and walked over to his bag. "Ku Lon told me about the Neko Ken." He took out a scroll. "I stumbled upon this on my journey around Japan. It's the full training of the Cat Fist. It will teach you the way to get rid of your fear of cats." Ranma's eyes lit up. Jian suddenly remembered a comment Ranma had made the day before. "You were talking about Saffron when you talked about the Demi-God you killed weren't you?"  
  
The light in Ranma's eyes fell. "How'd you know?"  
  
"I was sent to investigate Jusenkyo. The bird people weren't very happy with visitors to the area. I was attacked and had to beat'em off. I heard them muttering about wondering if Saffron could beat this human. It seems they lost a bit of faith in him. You're still not very happy about killing something are you?"  
  
"Pretty much. I'm probably more disappointed in myself that I killed for a spoiled bitch like Akane."  
  
"Ah. Killing does damage the soul you know. I would know." Ranma blinked a few times. "I was an assassin for the Council of Elders, more precisely, I was one for Ku Lon and a few others. Not all of them." Ranma's eyes widened. "Please don't think any less of me since I've killed a bit. I was only sent after the Elders who were abusing their power. Like Mu Tsu's grandmother."  
  
"What'd she do to abuse her power?"  
  
"Mu Tsu should have been banished or executed for years now. He's actually gone a few steps further than Xian Pu does when she chases after you. He's seriously injured a few boys that were after Xian Pu for dates. You know, I realise now that the agressive style of chasing after people are more for outsiders. That's probably why Xian Pu doesn't like Mu Tsu back much, but whatever."  
  
"What is the Elder of Coucils anyway?"  
  
"Why so interested in the Amazons now?"  
  
"Well, I figured since I'm going to beat Ku Lon and get adoped into the Amazon, I should learn more about them."  
  
"Good answer. Well, the Council of Elders is a group of the 12 oldest females. That system doesn't work very well, which is why I was employed. There are also some more minor elders. Call them Junior Elders if you want. They are the oldest females in each family. I'm actually counted as an Elder since most of my immediate family is dead. My curse gives me the right to be an elder."  
  
"You can be called an elder at our age?"  
  
"Yeah." The braided boy got up from his futon and started walking to the door. "I'm gonna go talk to Xian Pu and Mu Tsu right now. I'd suggest you take a shower or something, but you'd probably have company. After I talk with them I'll go with you to the Tendo dojo. So hold on a bit."  
  
"Alright," Ranma said as he absorbed the information he had gotten.  
  
Jian left the room as he slipped on his chinese shirt. He jumped down the stairs and quickly found Mousse flirting with Shampoo, or rather flirting with random objects with Shampoo kicking him.  
  
"Shampoo!" Mousse cried and glomped onto Jian.  
  
"Get off me Mu Tsu," Jian said coldly. "And put on your glasses." He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Shampoo was smirking. "Both of you sit down now."  
  
"What? Why Shampoo have to?"  
  
"Because I'm going to talk about you and Ranma." Jian said, switching to the Amazon dialect.  
  
Shampoo quickly sat down and Jian kicked Mousse into a seat before he could yell at Jian for setting up his love with a scoundrel like Saotome.  
  
"Now first off. I have an order from the Coucil of Elders for you, Mu Tsu. Xian Pu has finally requested help from Ku Lon, which shows her growing up a bit more and pushing down her pride to request help. The order is for you to stop chasing after Xian Pu, or be executed. She is one of the valuable members of our tribe, and has been unable to train properly with you chasing her around. If you do not follow these orders, the next Amazon you see may in fact be the last person you see."  
  
But I can't let my darling Shamp..." Mousse trailed off as Jian moved a katana under his chin. "Your grandmother isn't here to help you anymore Mu Tsu."  
  
Mousse trembled in fear.  
  
"Move on Mu Tsu." He saw Shampoo grin happily. "And now to talk For Xian Pu. I've heard all about Ranma's fiancee problems last night. Yes, you are a problem too. You realise, at this point I think I have more of a chance to win Ranma than his three fiancees do. For a person like him, you can't be as possessive as you are now. He is just like you you know." Shampoo nodded. "And you don't like how Mu Tsu treats you do you?" His cousin shook her head. "You treat Ranma the same way, and like I said, he's just like you."  
  
"You mean I've only been pushing him away like Mu Tsu has been pushed away by me?" Shampoo asked.  
  
"Yeah. I suggest you become his friend before his airen. Hug him instead of glomping. Train with him instead of using love potions. And honestly, I can't believe you actually tried using potions on him. I mean, when someone asks you how you caught his heart, how would you like to tell someone that you used a potion? You'd have to live with the memory that you tricked him into loving you the rest of your lives."  
  
Shampoo's eyes started tearing up.  
  
"Exactly, think of the consequences of your actions more next time. For now, I need him at top shape for his next challenge to me. That's one reason I'm helping him. The other is because I consider him a friend." Jian started walking away. "So I'll talk to you two later."  
  
"Jian?" Shampoo said quietly.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Tell him that I'm sorry."  
  
"Okay," Jian walked back upstairs to his room. He heard Mousse cry out "My love!" and rolled his eyes. 'Guess I'm going to have to kill him after all, or maybe I'll get someone else to do it. He sighed and walked back into his room, where Ranma was waiting.  
  
***  
  
"So, you told me about that Tatewaki Kuno yesterday. Tell me, does he have any interesting abilities?"  
  
"Eh well, he seems to be able to make thunder strike behind him when he's introducing himself as the Blue Thunder. That count for anything?"  
  
Jian grinned. "I suppose."  
  
"Halt vile sorcerer and face the wraith of Tatewaki Kuno!"  
  
"Ah speak of the devil I guess," Ranma said and jumped out of the way.  
  
Jian took a bokken out of his sleeves instead and blocked the strike.  
  
"Who are you so skilled to block the strike of Tatewaki Kuno?" Kuno inquired.  
  
"My name is-"  
  
"But wait, tis it not the custom to give thine own name before receiving? Very well, mine I shall give."  
  
'Ready,' Jian thought and grinned internally.  
  
"I am the rising star of the kendo world. I am strength beyond measure and the captain of the Furinken High School kendo team. They call me the Blue Thunder of Furinken High!" At "Blue Thunder", Jian kicked Kuno far back. He cupped his hands over his eyes and watched Kuno get hit by a bolt of lightning.  
  
"Hopefully that is gonna put him outta commision for a while." He heard footsteps approaching and a sizzled looking Kuno stepped back into the scene. "Damn, guess not."  
  
"You are friend with the sorcerer Saotome! Feel the wraith of the great Tatewaki Kuno," Kuno stepped in and slashed sharply at Jian, who brought his own bokken up and deflected the strike.  
  
"You use Kendo then."  
  
"That is correct. Thine art is the strongest of Japan."  
  
"Feh, kendo doesn't compare to kenjutsu." Jian deflected more strikes and quickly lowered his hand onto the blade of the bokken, he slashed outwards and it was revealed that the outer part of the bokken was actually more of a sheathe for another wooden sword and he struck Kuno with a battou jutsu strike. "That is the power of kenjutsu."  
  
Kuno struggled to get up. "You must use dark magic like the foul sorcerer, tis the only way to defeat me. Very well, I must smite thee as well!" Kuno used an overhead strike to try and hit Jian, but he dodged away.  
  
"Wait, did you say dark magic?" Jian quickly asked. Ranma was leaning against a wall, watching the proceedings.  
  
"Yes! Dark magic must be what he uses to enslave the woman! He is the enemy of women, and I Tatewaki Kuno must smite him!" Kuno cried dramatically.  
  
"Sorry to burst your bubble, but the only user of dark magic in Nerima that I know of is Mu Tsu."  
  
"Mu Tsu?"  
  
"Yeah, ya know Kuno, the one that's tryin' to kill me. The one that needs glasses and wears those white robes."  
  
"Is this true?" Kuno asked. At Jian's nod he continued his ranting. "He must have bound my pigtailed girl and the fair Akane Tendo to Saotome then. And he now uses his powers to kill the noble Saotome who tries to break those bounds cast onto him."  
  
"Is he normally this delusional?" Jian muttered to Ranma. He sweatdropped at Ranma's nod.  
  
"Fare you well Saotome, and my apologies will be made for the attacks on you I have made. I shall go after the true sorcerer now." Kuno ran off in the direction of the Kuno estate, ready to write a challenge letter, or maybe it was off to find the "vile sorcerer Mu Tsu" and smite him.  
  
Jian and Ranma sighed. "That should hold him away for a while I suppose," Jian said.  
  
"Isn't he going to kill Mousse then?" Ranma yelled.  
  
"It will be better for him to learn how damaging killing will do to one's soul, and to respect a weapon, any weapon, even that bokken of his. 'Sides, by order of the Coucil of Elders, Mu Tsu is to be killed now for not stopping his advances on Shampoo. I won't give him the honor of dying by Amazon hands. Now let's go to the Tendos."  
  
"You really have killed many people haven't you?" Ranma asked.  
  
"Yeah, it ain't something I'm proud of. But I've been calloused against it now. Now c'mon, we're to fix you're problems with the Tendos, aren't we?"  
  
'Geez, if I ain't careful, I may end up dead too 'cause of him," Ranma thought, watching the form of his taller friend walk off.  
  
"C'mon! Hurry it up Ranma," Jian called to the pigtailed boy. Ranma jogged over to Jian's side and continued walking with him. 


End file.
